Professional & Parent Masterminds
Applications are currently closed. To be the first to hear when they reopen and receive priority consideration, join the waitlist.
Raising young kids while working in a career is hard. It’s hard even on the “easy” days, and it’s especially tough when responsibilities conflict. We’ve all had days where we have something really important going on at work, and then the nanny calls out sick. Or daycare closes again because one kid showed up with asymptomatic Covid. Backup care – if you’re lucky enough to have someone to call and ask – is never actually available when you need it. Covid has made a tough job more complicated and an isolating phase of life even more so.
We turn to memes and viral Instagram accounts, tweets and text messages from fellow parent friends to feel less alone in the “parenting while employed while in a global pandemic” grind. And while these outlets offer the momentary solace of knowing it’s not just us being squeezed from all sides, they usually fall short of providing actual support. Yes, our kids are adorable and bring us joy. Yes, we chose to be working professional parents. AND it’s really tough. I’m hearing over and over from friends and clients that we need…something.
To help, I’m launching a Mastermind, specifically one for moms or dads raising young kids while working in professional careers.
What is that, you ask?
A Mastermind is a curated, small group of thoughtful individuals in similar enough positions to understand each other’s circumstances but with unique enough experiences and perspectives to help one another. Members collectively create a “hive mind” that gets deployed to help solve – or more effectively navigate – the challenges experienced by each individual.
When done right, Masterminds are used to great effect in the entrepreneurial world (and elsewhere) to create trusted peer groups and boards of advisors of sorts, who help each other solve intractable challenges. In a highly effective mastermind, it is said, 1+1 = 11.
The group meets regularly (in this case twice a month, for an hour, via Zoom). Meetings focus on “hot seats,” in which each person gets a specific amount of time to share the challenge that’s top of mind and receive input and advice from the other members of the group. The best Masterminds have a facilitator who keeps the sessions on track and all voices heard, as well as a way to continue the conversation between sessions.
I’ve been a part of numerous Masterminds over the years, both as a participant and as an organizer. I’m taking what I’ve found to be the best practices of those Masterminds – as well as direct input from seasoned Mastermind leaders – to structure these groups.
This fall, I’m convening and facilitating the first two Professional & Parent Masterminds: The PMM (Professional & Mom Mastermind), for 4-6 professional moms of young children, and the PDM (Professional & Dad Mastermind), for 4-6 professional dads of young children. If you have a different parent identity and are interested in being a part of a similar group, please send me an email.
Mastermind admission is by application only, and I’ll be thoughtfully selecting members to bring together individuals likely to connect in the ways that make successful Masterminds feel a bit magical (aka, you leave the twice-monthly virtual gatherings with your cup filled by deep connection, as well as some concrete solutions or breakthroughs for the problem that’s been plaguing you).
Joining the Mastermind is making a commitment to serve and be served, to show up fully for 60 minutes, twice a month. Often, hearing the issues others raise during their turns in the hot seat – and the group members’ insights in service of that person – is just as powerful as having our own topics addressed. Joining the Mastermind is making a commitment to collectively create a group where you give and receive support and camaraderie, as will each of the other members.
There will be a private Slack channel for each Mastermind that extends our time together, in order to continue the conversation asynchronously and provide just-in-time “bat phone” support when a fellow Masterminder really needs it.
These Masterminds will be brave spaces, where we encourage each other to openly and honestly share the real challenges and opportunities we’re facing in this season of our lives as working professional parents to young kids, in order to regain a sense of control, thrive (at least sometimes!) rather than merely survive, achieve the goals that matter to us most right now (really matter to us, not the ones we think should matter), feel good – or at least better – about ourselves both as parents and professionals, optimize where helpful, and let go of what is not a priority. Crucially, they’ll also be supportive spaces, enabled by our shared goals of powerfully serving each other and keeping anything that is shared confidential.
Joining one of these Masterminds is likely a good fit for you if you:
Are a parent of a young child or children
Are currently working in a paid professional role (or wrapping up parental leave shortly after our groups start in October)
Are finding it challenging to be the kind of parent you want to be and the kind of professional you want to be simultaneously
(May or may not apply to you) Are partnered with another working parent and are frustrated that you’re the one who usually takes the hit when a kid-related conflict arises during the work week OR you’re dealing with another challenge of being a two working parent household
Would benefit from being a part of a small group of fellow moms or dads in a similar season of life, with similarly demanding jobs, who can help each other troubleshoot, offer experience-based advice, and enjoy camaraderie
Are able to prioritize showing up for our twice-monthly sessions (can commit to attending at least three out of every four 60-minute sessions) and are interested in engaging with fellow Masterminders via your private Slack channel to some degree
Are willing to be vulnerable and build relationships in service of yourself and others, while keeping everything that’s shared confidential
Each Mastermind will meet twice a month, for six months. The investment is $1,500, due upon acceptance into the group. Applications are not currently open, but there is an active waitlist.
Would you like someone else to pay for your seat in the Mastermind? Companies have started to recognize that supporting new and new-ish parents in their workforce benefits them. If you’re interested in submitting for professional development reimbursement or need additional information to make the case for your participation to your employer, send me an email.
I covered a lot of ground above, so here’s a quick recap: This Mastermind will help you better manage the challenges that arise from doing two big jobs simultaneously (parent and professional). It will meet twice a month for six months, facilitated by me. There’ll be a private “bat phone,” aka a Slack channel. The investment is $1,500. Each curated group will be small (4-6 moms or dads) and individuals on the waitlist will be the first to hear when applications reopen.
See below for answers to some additional questions you might have. Feel free to email me (courtney@happyhighachiever.com) with any other questions or schedule a quick chat. When you’re ready, here’s the link to apply.
Questions you might have
When and where will the Mastermind meet?
We’ll meet via Zoom twice a month for 60 minutes. Meetings will take place on a consistent day and time, which will be decided as part of the application process. Availability will be considered in selecting Mastermind participants.
What will the sessions be like?
The first session will be different from the others and will require a small amount of pre-work (less than one hour), which will be shared with you well in advance. The goal is to help you hone in on the biggest challenges you’re currently facing related to your dual role as a parent and working professional, and what a positive, impactful Mastermind experience would look like for you. We’ll also get to know each other.
Going forward, sessions will largely consist of hot seats, where each person gets a specific amount of time to bring a challenge or a topic that’s been weighing on them to the group and get input or advice from each member in attendance.
What is the purpose of the private Slack channel?
The Slack channel will be used to continue the conversation from sessions when there’s more to be said and as a place to share resources. It’ll also function as a “bat phone” to give and receive real-time suggestions or support amongst the “hive mind” for working parent dumpster fires that arise between meetings.
Courtney, what will your role be in the Mastermind?
I will curate the groups, facilitate each meeting, and manage all of the logistics. During the PMM meetings (moms), I’ll be part of the “hive mind” and share my perspective with the person in the hot seat, along with the other participants. During the PDM meetings (dads), I’ll stick to facilitation unless explicitly asked to share my perspective, as I’m not a dad. I will also monitor the private Slack channels, weighing in as helpful, bringing the discussion into our meetings where useful, and sharing resources as relevant.
I’m currently on parental leave – is this a fit for me?
If you’ll be returning to work from parental leave shortly after the start of the Mastermind, I encourage you to apply. If you’ll be on parental leave beyond that point (or are planning to welcome a child) and are interested in participating in a future round of the Mastermind, send me an email.
I have questions that you haven’t answered – what should I do?
Email me at courtney@happyhighachiever.com.